RONGO GOLD CUP

Long before the well known tournaments of our region which are doing so well in the present times, Rongo had started a Gold Cup football tournament in the 90s officially "KB Rai Memorial Gold Cup" organized by the Rongo Sporting Club. If I'm not wrong the first edition was held in 1991 & after continuing for few more years it never happened again. I hope when someone writes the history of football in the Darjeeling hills. Rongo Gold Cup will find a place in it.

I still remember as a little boy how impressed I was with the Gold Cup trophy. It hand a silver hand holding the gold football. Nicely placed inside a glass frame, have to say the design was way ahead of times. The winning team was awarded the trophy and they could keep it till the next edition of the tournament. Rumours had also spread that one of the teams had tried to scrub off the gold and silver from the Cup. 

Many teams from across the region used to come and participate. Few are remember vividly are United Kurseong FC, Dali, Malbazar, Juranti etc. This was a also the time I saw modern football shoes/boots for the first time. Those ones with rubber or plastic studs. The Gold Cup organizers used provide accommodation as well to the teams from far off players in the directors bungalow and the primary school. Mithai Dokan provided food to them. 

Once Dinker Chettri, a renowned footballer from Kurseong now the head coach of Kanchanjunga FC, Siliguri had told me that United Kurseong FC, the team he had played for in his youth was in a severe financial crisis and an invitation from the Rongo Gold Cup had come as a blessing however they had to win the tournament to get that cash reward of Rs 10000 to help their beloved club to tide over the crisis.

So the UKFC players had got together and collected funds for their travel to Rongo some even pledging their valuable ornaments to get loans. The boys had traveled by trucks and on the roof of the buses to save money and two players had shared a plate of rice. An example of selfless dedicaton towards your club & the game you love. United Kurseong FC gave a stellar performance and won the Rongo Gold Cup thus helping them to keep their club afloat and they are still there bringing laurels to Kurseong till this day. 

Unfortunately it was not the same for the Rongo Gold Cup as it could not continue after a few years. However it has left a lasting impression on me along with many other football lovers of Rongo and I'm sure many yearn for it's return. If the tournament had continued it would have been more than 30 years old however it was not to be but we can still be proud of it. "KB Rai Memorial Gold Cup" will forever live in our memories and if it makes a return the pages or history will turn back and the chapter will continue from where it had stopped in the 90s.